There are many reasons you should consider joining an Army's underwater arm. These reasons range from Da Vinci's underwater army to the most demanding course for combat divers in the Army. You can even train with dolphins! Here are five reasons why you should join the Army's underwater army. This is the best way for combat divers to get certified.
Da Vinci's underwater army
Leonardo da Vinci created the diving suit. It was a device that could have helped Venice defeat the Ottoman navy around the 16th century. The Mediterranean Coast was in turmoil at the time. It was embroiled with a series of international border disputes that included a full-scale civil war.
Leonardo da Vinci, a Renaissance artist, was fascinated by the underwater world. He envisaged a diving army that would repel the invasion of enemy ships. To cut through the hulls of enemy ships, soldiers would be outfitted with diving suits. Although this plan never materialized, the underwater army he devised may have inspired the invention of the first scuba equipment.
Special Forces Combat Diver School in Florida Keys
You can join the Special Forces combat diving school located in the Florida Keys if you're interested in joining the military or learning how to do covert missions underwater. You will be able to use heavy, closed circuit dive equipment during this course. These equipments do not produce bubbles, making them very clandestine and perfect for covert missions. Students will learn how to use a'mixed gas system' such as a Draeger LARV that recycles any mixed gases exhaled by a diver back into the cylinder. Students will also learn diving physics and physiological principles during the course. Students will learn how to treat injuries sustained underwater by divers.
One of the U.S. Army’s Special Forces Underwater Operations schools, or SFUWO in the U.S. Army’s Southeast Command, is located around the Florida Keys. It has been in existence in the Keys since 1960. As part of the combat diving training, students learn how to navigate the seafloor. This training is important because a contractor once dug up munitions from the Civil War in the area. SFUWO divers were later partnered by the NOAA Blue Star programme, which aims protect the marine environment.
Toughest course for combat divers in the Army
The combat diver qualification course focuses on tactical aspects of combat diving. The Mark 25 Draeger Oxygen Rebreather closed-circuit underwater breath apparatus is taught. Combat divers are also taught how to navigate the oceans, perform various extraction and insertion strategies. This course is usually the most challenging course for combat divers.
Falkenstine completed the Combat Diver Qualification Course over seven weeks and was then invited back to take the Supervisor Course. This prepares them for the role of directing combat dive operations. Combat diving is physically demanding, but it can also be mentally challenging. Falkenstine says the training is extremely challenging, but she feels honored to be a member of such an elite community. She says she finds the camaraderie among combat divers to be unmatched.
Training with dolphins
A dolphin-powered underwater army isn't a new concept. The Soviet Union has used dolphins to train its sailors. It also uses seals and other marine mammals as part of its training program. Though the program was discontinued after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Ukrainian navy resumed its training program a few years ago.
Dolphins are quicker than humans and have better swimming and diving skills. They can dive without decompression sickness and make excellent patrol animals. However, ethical concerns surround the use and possession of dolphins to be used as weapons. Animal rights activists long demanded the end of this program.
There are dangers to diving in the Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico was contaminated by oil leaking into it, leaving behind brown liquid and volatile, flammable gasses. These chemicals are harmful to marine life and those working on the front lines of clean-up. Avoid areas that could contain oil if you dive in the Gulf of Mexico.
Commercial divers are outfitted with sophisticated breathing equipment but the environment in the ocean is still challenging. The water is extremely cold and the currents can be turbulent. Visibility is also often poor. Divers must also be alert for mud, sand and sharks. The extreme pressure of hyperbaric oxygen can cause them to become unconscious and even die.